In the maze of planning and coordinating a wedding, one of the first things to decide on is the venue. Finding a place that fits your style and wedding needs can be challenging. Below is a list of a few local options that offer a unique history and charm when choosing a place.
The Los Altos History Museum
Located at 51 South San Antonio Road, Los Altos, the museum offers a spacious outdoor patio and English garden just a couple of minutes from downtown Los Altos and not far from city hall. The area also contains famous apricot orchards and the J. Gilbert Smith House, a farmhouse built by Smith in 1905. Wedding rental season runs from the first weekend of May through October. The
museum is open to the public noon to 4 p.m Thursday through Sunday.
A Saturday wedding rental rate is $8,500, while a Friday or Sunday wedding is $7,000. A four-hour rental for a Friday or Sunday ceremony is $4,000, according to the museum website. A refundable security deposit costs you $1,300, and a non-refundable $500 application fee is required. Rentals are set for an eight-hour block, with two hours for setup and one hour for cleanup. An extra hour would add $500. A $1,000 caterer fee applies if you choose a non-listed caterer. Table equipment, umbrellas, cocktail tables and audio-visual equipment are available for rent. Learn more at losaltoshistory.org/rent.
Rengstorff House
The historic and oldest home in Mountain View, located at 3070 N. Shoreline Boulevard, features Victorian Italianate architecture that includes four parlors, brick patios and an outdoor lawn area. The interior includes paintings, typewriters and furniture from the period. The 12-room, 3,955-square-foot home was originally owned by Mountain View landowner Henry Rengstorff and restored in 1991. The city offers free tours to the public of the house, with the property not far from Shoreline Amphitheater and a wildlife and recreation area near the bay.
The capacity is 150 and offers full use of the downstairs area of Rengstorff House and the surrounding grounds of three lawn areas and two brick patios. Rental rates for an eight-hour event on the weekend for Mountain View residents cost $1,700, with nonresidents paying $2,100, according to the city website. Rengstorff House does not provide setup, cleanup, catering or lighting,
although it does provide a list of vendors.
Learn more at tinyurl.com/RengstorffHouseRental.
Immanuel Lutheran Church
Located at 1715 Grant Road in south Los Altos, not far from Marymeade Park, is Immanuel Lutheran Church, which offers a quiet setting and grounds. The church offers parking, a dressing room for the wedding party and a waiting room for families, with a garden setting available for smaller weddings. The hall and patio can accommodate over 400 people and comfortably seat over 200. The altar has a stained glass installation with a soaring room that lets in lots of light, while the landscaped garden offers a place for photos. Although in a Christian setting, the church does not require a membership test to schedule a wedding.
Using the sanctuary costs around $2,100, with a $300 deposit required when booking the wedding, according to the church website. The reception hall costs about $4,150, with options for an organist or pianist at $250 and for a minister at $500.
For more information, call the church at (650) 967-4906 or visit ilclosaltos.com/plan-your-wedding/ to have a virtual tour.
